小科普：蜂蜜其實永遠(yuǎn)不會壞

一些考古學(xué)家聲稱，他們在挖掘一個埃及古墓的時候發(fā)現(xiàn)了一罐3000多年前的蜂蜜，而且它還完全可以吃。
 

archaeologist /,α: k?'?l?d??st/ n. 考古學(xué)家

excavate /'eksk?ve?t/ v. 挖掘;開鑿

tomb /tu: m/ n. 墳?zāi)?死亡

Egypt /?i:d??pt/ n. 埃及(非洲國家)

perfectly /'p?: f?k(t)l?/ adv. 完美地;完全地

edible /'ed?b(?)l/ adj. 可食用的

This durability is thanks to the unique features of honey: it is low in water and high in sugar, so bacteria cannot grow on it.

這么長的保質(zhì)期源自蜂蜜的獨特性質(zhì)：它的含水量很低，而含糖量很高，所以細(xì)菌無法在上面生長。
 

durability /,dj?r?'b?l?ti/ n. 耐久性;堅固

unique /ju: 'ni: k/ adj. 獨特的，稀罕的

feature /'fi: t??/ n. 特色，特征

bacteria /bæk't??r??/ n. 細(xì)菌

Honey also contains small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which inhibits growth of microbes. This is partly why bees produce it for the young in theirhives – it is both food and protection.

蜂蜜還含有少量的雙氧水，它能抑制微生物的生長。蜜蜂之所以生產(chǎn)蜂蜜，也是部分出于這個原因——它既是食物，也是一種保護措施。
 

contain /k?n'te?n/ v. 包含;控制;容納

hydrogen /'ha?dr?d?(?)n/ n. 氫

peroxide /p?'r?ksa?d/ n. 過氧化氫;過氧化物

inhibit /?n'h?b?t/ v. 抑制;禁止

microbe /'ma?kr??b/ n. 細(xì)菌，微生物

hive /ha?v/ n. 蜂房，蜂巢

protection /pr?'tek?(?)n/ n. 保護;防衛(wèi)

Processing honey also helps as the sugars in honey are hygroscopic and tend to draw in atmospheric water, which is not ideal. However, during processing and packaging, the heat treatment first removes water and then airtight lids keeps the water out, helping it keep for longer.

蜂蜜的加工過程則進一步確保了這一點，因為蜂蜜里的糖是吸濕的，它們會吸收空氣中的水分，這肯定不太好。而在蜂蜜的加工和打包過程中，我們會對蜂蜜進行加熱，這回除去蜂蜜中的水分;而密封蓋則能防止空氣中的水進入蜂蜜，這就進一步延長了它的保質(zhì)期。
 

process /pr??ses/ v. 處理;加工

hygroscopic /ha?gr?(?)'sk?p?k/ adj. 吸濕的;易潮濕的

atmospheric /ætm?s'fer?k/ adj. 大氣的，大氣層的

package /'pæk?d?/ v. 打包;將…包裝

airtight /'e?ta?t/ adj. 密閉的，密封的

Although honey can go cloudy and crystallise when opened as the sugars draw in water again, this physical change can be reversed by simply warming the honey.

雖然蜂蜜在開封之后會變白、結(jié)晶(因為空氣里的水汽進去了)，但只要簡單地加熱蜂蜜就能將這個物理變化你轉(zhuǎn)回來。
 

cloudy /'kla?d?/ adj. 多云的;渾濁的，不透明的

crystallise /'krist?laiz/ v. 使…結(jié)晶;使具體化

reverse /r?'v?: s/ v. 顛倒;倒轉(zhuǎn)